New Head Coach
For Mornington Chasers Running Club
The Mornington Chasers are one of London’s most established running clubs. Formed in Camden in 1986, we are
renowned for being a friendly and inclusive club. Our membership covers all distances, surfaces and types of
runner from athletes who compete internationally to those who simply wish to run with like-minded people.
We are seeking to appoint a new Head Coach to lead our Thursday evening training sessions. The
responsibilities of the Head Coach include:
● Designing and delivering the Thursday training programme throughout the year.
● Playing an active role in the club’s coaching team to ensure that the needs of our members are met by
the club’s wider programme.
● Being forward thinking, creative and committed to raising the profile of Mornington Chasers as a
community sports club and as a competitive London club – and of course maintaining our reputation as
friendly and inclusive!
This is a paid role for a qualified UK Athletics Coach.
About the Mornington Chasers
The Mornington Chasers have current membership of approximately 250. Many of our members participate in
5K to marathon distance running events. However our membership is varied and we support this through our
affiliation with different sporting bodies and by entering league events. This includes:
● UKA affiliation
● Triathlon England affiliation
● Met League (cross country) - http://www.metleague.co.uk
● North London, Middlesex and National Cross Country championships
● Summer League - http://summerleague.meteor.com
● Southern Athletics League - http://www.southernathletics.org.uk
● Triathlon England London League - http://www.triathlonengland.org/london
Club members meet on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Tuesday
Weekly attendance is approx. 40 to 60 members.
Group runs:
● Routes typically vary from 4 to 9 miles.
Coached session:
● Tuesday coaching usually reflects seasonal schedule.
● Tuesday coached sessions normally attract 8 to15 members.
● Regular mile time trial.
Thursday
Coaching session. Weekly attendance is usually 20 to 30 members.
Saturday
Beginner running group
● Couch to 5K programme aimed at non-runners.
● Piloted in July 2015.
● Intended to take throughout the year..
Sunday
Long run day, starting at Talacre and for experienced runners able to run 10+ miles.
To apply for this post, please email your CV to Hannah McQuarrie, along with a cover letter (no longer than two
sides of A4) that specifies your session fee and outlines the skills, experience and aptitude that you feel qualify
you to be our new Head Coach. Please refer to the job description and person specification below. Applications
should be sent to h.j.mcquarrie@gmail.com by 5pm Friday 25th September 2015.
Job description
Dates:
Time/Days:
Venue:
Deadline:
Payment:
October 2015 – September 2016 with possibility of extension (though we can be flexible for
the right candidate)
Note: Training is suspended during Christmas week.
19:00 to 21:00 every Thursday
Club HQ:
● Talacre Sports Centre, Kentish Town
Training venues:
● Parliament Hill Athletics track
● The club also uses Primrose Hill and Hampstead Heath for hill training, Regents Park
track and the inner circle.
17:00 Friday 30 October 2015
£50-£75 per session
Key responsibilities:
To provide coaching in running, which is relevant to the broad range of member abilities and aspirations. This
may include training for:
● Endurance
● Speed
● Hills
● Agility, balance and co-ordination
● Conditioning and interval training
The sessions should relate to key events in our club calendar:
● Spring and autumn marathons
● Met league cross-country (November – March)
● Summer league 5 mile or 10k races and relays (May – August)
● Southern Athletics League (June – August)
Sessions should be suitable for:
● Members looking to improve technique and/or speed and/or endurance.
● Different paced runners with varying levels of experience.
The Head Coach will be responsible for:
● Delivering coached sessions every Thursday. If unable to attend the coach should provide at
least one week’s notice and a session plan to the Coach Manager who will arrange cover.
● Planning a structured training programme for club members. This programme should be
mindful of common aims among our members, such as Spring/Autumn marathon training or
Summer athletics.
Note: Attendance at our Thursday sessions has grown significantly. If attendance continues to be high
there is scope for an assistant to aid the appointed coach. There are a number of LIRFs, CIRFs and
trainee CIRFs within the club to fulfil this.
Person specification
Qualifications and experience
Have a running coach qualification (CIRF or equivalent) and relevant insurance from UKA.
Have experience of coaching groups of runners.
Have experience of managing groups of varying experience and ability.
Have experience of coaching or participating in a sports club.
Skills
Manage and communicate effectively with large groups.
Communicate complex information in an accessible manner.
Be able to produce effective training programmes.
Be flexible and able to adapt training sessions and programmes to suit individual needs, for
example due to injury rehabilitation or racing schedule.
Aptitude
Promote the Mornington Chasers ethos of friendliness and inclusivity.
Work with the coaching team to co-ordinate sessions, including attending quarterly meetings.
Attend Thursday training consistently and be punctual.
Essential
Essential
Essential
Desirable
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Essential